Yesterday's Ron Paul Rally in Manchester received some very positive coverage from both the Union Leader and the Concord Monitor. Both articles covered the story accurately and related Ron Paul's message in a very articulate and unbiased fashion. If you get a chance, write the authors and thank them for their excellent reporting of this event.

On Monday, the Ron Paul campaign announced it's "Raising to Win" fundraiser. The hope was that they could raise $500,000 in one week and boost the third quarter numbers. Five days and five hours later, that expectation has been SHATTERED!!! The donation total is now over $1,000,000, and still climbing.

As a matter of fact, with just over a day until the deadline, the donations show no signs of slowing down. The rate of donations has actually increased over the course of the week. The first $500,000 took about 72 hours to raise and the next $500,000 took 53.5 hours to raise. Another $23,000 has come in over the last two hours to put the total at $1,023,519.75. Great job everyone!!!

Kelly Halldorson wrote a great op letter appearing in today's Concord Monitor. She highlights tomorrow's Ron Paul Family Walk and encourages those attending to donate food as a demonstration of how "private charities are superior to government welfare programs". For those who don't know Kelly, she recently walked 38 miles from Dover to Concord in support of Ron Paul. As a result, it inspired a nationwide walk for Ron Paul.

On Monday, Sept 24 at 5:21 PM, the Ron Paul campaign announced a fundraising effort to raise $500,000 in the six and a half days before the end of the third quarter. As I remarked in a previous post, all eyes will be on these fundraising numbers. The third quarter totals will be used to assess a candidate's viability and organizational strength heading into the final months before the primaries.

Well, today at 5:03 PM, just a little less than three days after the fundraiser announcement, the campaign hit the $500,000 mark!!! The response has been phenomenal!!! How's that for a couple of internet spam-bots?!?

Even though the campaign is trying to reign in expectations, they have already indicated that they will have raised more money than the $2.4 million raised in the second quarter, it's just a matter of how much more. So while other campaigns are on their way down, Ron Paul is definitely on the way UP.

Thank you to all who donated!!! Watching that thermometer hit $500,000 made my day. Just imagine how great it would be to see it hit $1,000,000. With more than three days to go until the end of the quarter, I think we can do it.

UPDATE: The Ron Paul website just updated their thermometer graphic and are now shooting for $1 million!!! Take a few moments and watch the thermometer grow, it's mesmerizing. Every time I see a donation come in, I get the sense of something GREAT happening here...

UPDATE #2:: Here's a rather touching letter from Ron Paul to all of his supporters that are helping to make this possible. I guess freedom is popular after all.

The Boston Globe had an article on Ron Paul this morning.

I was interviewed for this, and one thing that the interviewer commented on was that Ron Paul supporters seemed to in general be very intelligent and well informed. It's disappointing to me that she did not seem to convey this impression in this piece. Still, I think she did a decent job at capturing the energy and enthusiasm behind the campaign.

Congressman Ron Paul is often referred to as the "Taxpayers' Best Friend" because he has the longest and most consistent record of voting against taxes. Every year, the National Taxpayers Union ranks members of Congress on "every vote that affects taxes, spending, and debt". Since 1997, Congressman Paul has earned the annual "Taxpayers' Friend" award and has ranked in the top 3 among ALL members of the House. No other Representative can claim that.

As President, Ron Paul would fight to repeal the 16th amendment and abolish the income tax. Just imagine, middle class Americans would essentially get a 15-30% pay increase. Imagine what a difference that would make in your life. Imagine what a difference that would make in the lives of your children. Imagine what that would do for the economy. It would be freedom at it's finest - actually allowing you to choose how to save and spend your own money. What a concept!!!

The other candidates, both Democrats and Republicans, make promises about how they will fight for the middle class, but do they really mean it? If that was the case, I would think a lot more candidates would hop on the NO INCOME TAX bandwagon. What better way to fight for the middle class than eliminating the income tax and allowing us to keep all of OUR hard earned money. That's right, the money that WE work day after day to earn, yet somehow the government thinks it has some sort of rightful claim to. Some candidates scoff at the idea and say that abolishing the income tax is not realistic. Under their runaway spending policies, that's probably accurate. Truth is, none of the other candidates WANT to abolish the income tax. They need your money to pay for unconstitutional wars, interventionist foreign policy, entitlements, a welfare state, and interest on a $9 trillion federal debt. So, who's really fighting for you?

The one thing that separates Ron Paul from all of the other candidates is that he understands his role in government. He understands that, when elected, he is there to serve the people - not special interests, not his bank account, and not some self-serving agenda. How many of our other so-called "Representatives" understand this. Sadly, not many. If you've ever had the opportunity to hear Ron Paul speak or meet with him face to face, you know that he sincerely cares about the American people and the crises facing our country. He's not running for President for the power or the money or the fame or the glory. He's running for President to fight for Americans like you and me.

A good interview on MSNBC. I like how he points out that other members of Congress are coming to him pointing out how many signs are out there for him!

Join us for the Paul Family Walk!

In a conversation with Rand Paul (Ron's son), he stated that "this could be the most important event in the campaign." This is because if you manage to win New Hampshire, you get about $50 million in free publicity. And in New Hampshire, you can win an election by going door to door. Since Ron Paul has the most enthusiastic supporters, this will be the best method to raise awareness. Don't you want to be part of history?

You can get more information, and RSVP on the national site.

This week has been the week that the Federal Reserve, both past and present, have been in the news. Ron Paul has always made a big issue of the Federal Reserve, but now the issue seems to really be coming to the forefront. It seems that Jon Stewart has been studying at the feet of Ron Paul and Austrian Economics, because he made some pretty stunning statements.

Paul vs. Bernanke

The core lie Bernanke makes is that the CPI is an accurate measure of inflation - it is not. It EXCLUDES housing costs!!!!!! Not to mention the core rate excludes energy costs!!!! So to print tons of money, and have gold, wheat, housing, etc skyrocket in price shows we have very high inflation. Wall street profits, while the average American suffers.

Jon Stewart seemed to figure this all out in his conversation with Greenspan.

Over the last few days there have been several updates on our web site and a few others. For this site, there are new pdf flyers available in the toolkit section that cover Ron Paul's positions on a variety of issues. These are a must to be familiar with. There have been a number of new links added, including a new homeschooling for Ron Paul site that could use another blogger. There are new items in the store including sweatshirts and black revolution shirts.

On the national site, they have added a section on New Hampshire, which introduces the Patriot program. Recruit 10 people a month to become a Ron Paul Patriot.

Ron Paul's victory did get mentioned in at least the Concord Monitor (search for Ron Paul, it's near the bottom), and the Union Leader. The Union Leader article manages to insinuate attempted cheating based on what a Romney supporter says. Here was my response:

Thanks for covering the straw poll. Phil's comment is right on track - Ron Paul has the best activists and most enthusiastic grass roots support. I don't like the insinuation that there was an attempt to get people from out of town to vote - that is completely false. We did have some people come from out of state just to show support, meet fellow supporters, and wave signs. They were told they wouldn't be able to vote, and they came anyway. Sounds like sour grapes from the Romney supporter. It's especially ironic since in Iowa Romney spent a ton of money buying tickets and paying for buses to get people to the straw poll. Meanwhile for the NH straw polls, we all just show up and pay our own way in. What's astonishing to me is the low turnout for other Republicans - no one had more than 20 supporters there.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - The Ron Paul Campaign proudly announced today the endorsement of State Representative Paul Ingbretson, Grafton County District #5.

"Congressman Ron Paul understands, like no presidential candidate in recent history, that the central purpose of government in America is to secure the liberty of her citizens," said Representative Ingbretson. "He has the unbelievable integrity and guts to speak out and vote the liberty agenda of the Founding Fathers-not once, or occasionally, but every time. Never in my lifetime have I seen anyone running for president so oriented and in these days of Patriot Act madness I endorse his candidacy unequivocally."

Paul Ingbretson was first elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2002, serving the towns of Benton, Haverhill, Piermont, and Warren. He is currently in his third term, and sits on the House Education Committee. For his long-standing devotion to conservative principle, Representative Ingbretson has been endorsed by the New Hampshire Republican Liberty Caucus, as well as by the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance.

On Sunday, Ron Paul dominated yet another straw poll in NH winning the Manchester GOP Straw Poll with 66% of the vote. This was his 3rd straight landslide victory in NH. Thompson and Guiliani came in a distant second and third with 10% and 9% respectively.

Here's the final tally:

Paul 114 votes (66%)
Thompson 17 votes (10%)
Guiliani 16 votes (9%)
Huckabee 12 votes (7%)
Romney 5 votes (3%)
Tancredo 3 votes (2%)
Cox 3 votes (2%)
McCain 2 votes (1%)
Brownback 1 vote (<1%)

Earlier this year, Congressman Paul also won the Strafford County GOP Straw Poll with 73% of the vote and the CNHT Family Picnic Straw Poll with 62% of the vote. Needless to say, Ron Paul has a dedicated following in the Live Free or Die state.

Here's some video of his supporters doing a sign and banner wave before the straw poll...



Inside the Straw Poll...



Jim's speech...



And the winner is...

If you have been waiting for the "right time" to donate to the Ron Paul campaign, that time is NOW!!! Sept. 30th is the deadline for third quarter donations, and the significance of his resulting cash on hand cannot be emphasized enough.

As one blogger puts it, his total fundraising numbers at the end of the quarter will basically dictate two things: 1) Advertising in the early primary states, and most importantly, 2) The ability to continue to participate in the Republican debates.

Fair or not, this is how campaign success and candidate viability is defined by the media and by those hosting these debates. If you recall, it was the second quarter announcement that Ron Paul had more net cash on hand than John McCain, that propelled Congressman Paul to the increased success he is having today, and led John McCain's campaign to stagnate and forced him to make major staff cuts.

In Congressman Paul's own words, "... But the media, and everyone else, will be looking at fundraising totals at the end of this month. They'll judge us by how we do. And we need help to wage what we hope will be a full-scale, 50-state campaign. Please help me head into the next quarter fully armed to do battle for freedom, peace and prosperity. Make your most generous contribution. This Revolution is on the move, but it very much needs your support."

To donate, click here.

Too much interesting stuff coming out, and I have to get some work done before I lose my job! Check out Daily Paul and Lew Rockwell's blog for the latest and greatest. Make sure to check out the Colbert Report clip on the debate! I was dying laughing at that one.

In a recent LA Times/Bloomberg poll of New Hampshire registered Republicans, Ron Paul received 5% of the vote, up from 3% in August, and 2% (on average) from April to July. You can view the official source here. Even though the accuracy of polls should be taken with a grain of salt, I think it's safe to say that Ron Paul continues to gain momentum in the Granite State as more and more people find out who he is and what he's all about.

The results of this poll are very promising and a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the meetup groups and volunteers. However, with less than four months before the primary, there is still a lot more work to be done and not enough people to do it. Volunteers are needed to do sign waves, lit drops, fair booths, etc... If you haven't done so, find a local meetup group in your area and check the calendar of events. Even one or two hours a week can make a HUGE difference, and who knows, you might make some new friends and have fun in the process!

New Hampshire Meetups:
Concord
Manchester
Dover (Seacoast)
Nashua

Massachusetts Meetups:
Newburyport
Gardner
Worcester
Boston
Leicester

To a standing-room only crowd, at one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the country (the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies), Ron Paul delivered an hour-long home run speech, outlining his entire assessment of the real state of the union.

The crowd, mostly students, was made up of some of the most educated minds inside the Beltway; these are not the cheap seats. They threw hardballs—but Ron's consistent, educated, experienced illustrations and explanations helped him knock this one out of the park.

Audio available here.

Looks like some people were busy before the debate at UNH this last week.

There's a great article about a recent meetup competition here. In it, they mention our meetup group:

Inspired by the Manhattan group's progress, Meetup #6 in Concord, NH, discovered it had almost as many members as there were city residents. The meetup took a careful plat and negotiated with various unaffiliated property owners, many of whom reportedly became instant Ron Paul converts. After obtaining the necessary clearances, in a single night, meetup members painted well over 400 roofs bright red or blue, spelling out the name "Ron Paul" in citywide lettering. This new "signage" is visible from flights to the new Live Free or Die International Airport built by Free State Project members. This meetup won a runner-up prize.

Hannity tried to say that Ron Paul had 3% of the votes in the text messaging poll, but had people redialing to get up to 33%. This is an out and out lie, since you can't vote twice in those (unless you have two phones).

In my opinion, a lot of people know that you can't repeat dial, so I think Hannity's denial is going to make him look bad, rather than take away from Paul's victory. I'm not sure how Hannity can actually not understand that the single anti-war Republican could get a lot of votes when 70% of the American people are tired of the war. Paul then did a great job defending himself against Hannity. The results were Paul (33%), Hucakabee (18%), Giuliani (15%), McCain (14%), Romney (12%), and the rest at 1-2%. What is interesting to me is Huckabee with a second place finish. I think he got a boost by taking on Paul. Ever since the Giuliani attack, everyone has seemed to want to get into it with Dr Paul so they could get that pro-war boost. But the pro-war vote is split so many ways (and will be even more so with Thompson coming in), that they can't match Paul.

As I sat in the debate last night, I was struck once again at the courage of Dr Paul to say the things that people don't want to hear, but need to. As this blog puts it, he "is a steel-spined a-kicker with dangling anatomy made of solid brass. He is a man in full." Definitely true, as he held his ground when barraged by the hostile questions - as you can see in this debate video with his questions extracted. I was happy to see him finally asked a second amendment question, since he is the strongest pro-gun candidate (A+ rating from GOA).



But all his bravery would have been for naught if it weren't for the strong support he was shown by us! When he walked onto the stage he got some of the loudest and longest applause. You could see a glint in his eye and a smile, that surely helped boost his courage for the night. When it came to the second amendment question, the applause was universal, since NH is very strong when it comes to gun rights. But in the divisive issue of the Iraq war, despite cheers for his opposition, it was balanced by his supporters. And, unbelievably, we saw a real debate break out!

On top of this, even CNN recognized the strong support shown for Dr Paul. Local papers like the Union Leader (article 1 and 2) noticed as well.

• The aircraft towing the Ron Paul banner


• The supporters who spent hours chalking Ron Paul all over the UNH campus


• That we had the most supporters, and hung out the longest

Finally, supporters from across the nation helped spur him to victory in the Fox text messaging poll (last I saw it was 33% to 17% for Giuliani?), and the MSNBC on-line poll.

So for all those people supporting Ron Paul, GET INVOLVED - IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE! Our voices must be heard. Even a single person can make a big difference - check out this article in the Christian Science Monitor about our very own Kelly Halldorson.

Labels: ron paul unh debate NH

Is this speech prior to the Texas Straw poll the best one yet? I think so.

This is an excellent flash video that illustrates, through the use of simple symbols, the consistency and rock solid logic behind the philosophy of liberty. If you know anyone who has been on the fence about supporting Ron Paul because of this issue or that, make sure they see this.

In case you haven't seen this:

FREE tickets are now available for the September 5th Republican debate at the UNH campus in Durham, NH.

Tickets include admission to the pre-debate reception.

The reception starts at 6:30, doors close at 8:30, and the debate runs from 9 to 11pm. Please consider coming out and watching the debate live.

Click here for details.